Using the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS)

This is in reference to our previous post introducing the new online reporting scheme implemented by PhilHealth last September 2010. The said scheme is used by employers in submitting their monthly remittance report (RF-1) containing a list of their employees and corresponding premium contributions that have been deducted.

For those who are already registered under the new scheme, you may download the user guide or user manual (in PDF format) through this link. You may also post or share your experiences on our Facebook page so that we may get your feedback.

For those employers who haven't already registered under this scheme, we recommend you to implement the online reporting scheme as the report will be automatically processed and recorded in PhilHealth's database, hence a timely updating of your employee's premium contributions. Access to the status of your submitted online reports are also provided in this facility.

When is the best time to transact with PhilHealth?

This post is intended to answer inquiries of some members on the office hours of PhilHealth or when is the best time to transact with PhilHealth.

Generally, you may transact with PhilHealth from Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at any PhilHealth Office nationwide. The same office hours are also being implemented in the operation of PhilHealth's Call Center that can address your concerns through phone. PhilHealth Offices also comply with the legal and special holidays as declared by the government.

You should also avoid the periods below if you don't want to wait for a long time as there will be more persons transacting with PhilHealth during these periods:

• 10th day of the month - deadline of premium payment of employers;
• last day of the quarter - deadline of premium payment for individual members;
• 15th day of the month - deadline of submission of the employer remittance report.

Hopefully, you won't have too difficult a time transacting with PhilHealth. Also be sure to share your experiences with us through Facebook and/or Twitter so that we may help PhilHealth improve its services through your feedback.

How to Check Your Premium Payment Contributions

Discussed herein are methods with which to check your premium contribution payments, whether you are paying as an individual or are being remitted/paid by your employer. Individuals can request for a copy of your premium contribution history which will reflect your payments as an individually paying member or the payments remitted by your employers as posted in the PhilHealth database.

• Phone Inquiry
• You may contact the PhilHealth Call Center at (02) 441-7442;
• You may call the Collection Section of the nearest PhilHealth office.

• Email Inquiry
• Email your request for a copy of your premium contribution history to info@philhealth.gov.ph.

• Online Inquiry
• PhilHealth currently does not provide an online facility for you to view your premium contributions online. We will update this as soon as the service is available.

You may request for a copy of your premium contribution history to be emailed to you in any of the above methods. You would need to inform them of your PIN, full name, birth date and your current employer (if any).

Preparing the PhilHealth Employer's Remittance Report (RF-1) using the PPRS

The PhilHealth Premium Remittance System (PPRS) is a stand-alone application that is being distributed by PhilHealth since 1999. The system is designed in such a way as to facilitate the payment and generation of the RF-1 Remittance Report of the employers in a softcopy or text format. This post is intended to give you a bit more information on the PPRS as another reporting scheme.

Advantages in using the PPRS:

• Security enabled features which include user accounts to access the functionality of the system as well as system roles to determine which modules/functionalities may be accessible for a given type of user account;
• Facilitates preparation of reports for multiple employers;
• Printing of the RF-1 hardcopy, M5 summary and a transmittal list;
• Provides utilities such as backup of the database, restoration of database, management of users, employee transfers and others;
• Prepare the remittance report in advance prior payment so as to easily determine the actual payment to be made;
• Captures monthly remittance and report generation;
• Ease in updating the compensation bracket for the employer and employee share;
• Automatic computation of the bracket based on compensation/salary defined in the employee profile.

Disadvantages:

• There is minimal support being provided for the system;
• PhilHealth no longer provides updates to the functionality or enhancement of the system.
• Although the system can generate the remittance report monthly in text file format the old RF-1 layout is being used in the hardcopy.

Though no further updates are being provided by PhilHealth, the system is still considered as an option for the generation of the remittance report in softcopy or text format. If you wish to download an installer of the application click here. To download the User Manual click here.

The system is for those who are not at ease in using the Excel format or hardcopy, employers that see the need to have a back-up of their remittance reports, those who are not able to use the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS) or those who do not have the capability or resources to develop a system to aid in the preparation of their remittance report.

Preparing the PhilHealth Employer's Remittance Report using the Excel Template

Aside from the PhilHealth Remittance Reporting System (PPRS), employers are also given the option to prepare the remittance report using the Excel template being released by PhilHealth. The Excel template is a good alternative for a minimal number of employees, probably not more than 50. For a higher number of employees, it would be better to have a maintenance facility for your employees so a system would be recommended.

Advantages

• Facilitates generation of the RF-1 hardcopy and softcopy format;
• Easy to use.

Disadvantages

• Limited validations are available in the template;
• When compensation bracket changes, you will need a new Excel template.

Recommended versions are Microsoft Excel 2007 or above and you should enable the use of MACROs to use the Excel template. You can get the Excel template by clicking here.

In preparing a report, it is important for you to not overwrite the existing report. You may do this by opening the Excel file of your recent previous report and then go to File and choose Save As. Rename your Excel file using the convention Reporting Month+Year+PEN+ReportType. After which you can continue editing your report for the current reporting period. It is important to maintain or retain a copy of your remittance reports so that if PhilHealth requires or request for you to reproduce the report it would be a lot easier on your part.

What is Sufficient Regularity of Premium Payment?

Sufficient Regularity is defined as "payment of premium contribution of at least nine (9) months within the twelve (12) month period immediately prior to the month of availment" as cited in Section 3-iii of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of PhilHealth. Now what does this mean for us NHIP members particularly since the release of PhilHealth Circular No. 25 s-2010?

• Who are covered by PhilHealth Circular No. 25 s-2010?
NHIP members under the Individually Paying Program and Employed members are covered in this circular. Availment of members belonging to the sponsored program and OFWs will still be based on their effectivity period defined by the date of coverage or payment. OFWs are covered for one year starting with the date of their payment while sponsored members have their corresponding one year NHIP coverage period. Lifetime members no longer have this eligibility criteria as they are no longer considered as paying members of the NHIP.

• What does this have to do with availment of benefits?
This now indicates that before the date of your or your dependent's admission, you should have nine (9) months contribution within a twelve (12) month period. Members covered in this Circular that do not meet this requirement will not be able to avail of PhilHealth benefits.
• How does this relate to our payment of premium contributions?

• Premium payment paid on or during the confinement period will be credited to the succeeding applicable period. Example, if the date of confinement/availment is on March 13, 2011 then payment for the first quarter (1st Qtr) should be made before March 13, 2011 so that the amount shall be credited to the first quarter. If payment was made on March 13 or during the confinement period, the payment will immediately apply to the 2nd Quarter. In short, pay your premium contribution before the date of your or your dependent's admission.

• For payments under the rules of sufficient regularity, payment should be made on the last day prior to confinement or availment of benefits in order to be considered or credited to the quarter being paid. This simply means no retroactive payments on the start, during or after the confinement/availment date will be allowed previously permitted under Section 7 of PhilHealth Circular No. 24 s-2003.

• All benefits shall be covered under this eligibility criteria including treatment or out-patient benefits.

The nine (9) over twelve (12) months contribution eligibility criteria shall take effect starting on July 2011 admission / treatment date. For additional information or clarification you may refer to the PhilHealth Circular No. 25 s-2010 or you may coordinate / inquire with PhilHealth's call center or the nearest PhilHealth office.

How to Prepare the Employer Remittance Report (RF-1)

Here are pointers you need to know to help you prepare / accomplish the PhilHealth Employer Remittance Report Form (RF-1) as required by PhilHealth.

• The report shall be prepared on a monthly basis;
• Deadline of submission shall be every 15th day of the month following the applicable month;
• Employers should attach the PhilHealth Membership Registration Form (PMRF) for reported employees that do not have a corresponding PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) including the ER-2. The ER-2 is a document certifying the employees of the company. In this way, the registration of your employees will be facilitated prior posting of their contributions (PhilHealth Circular No. 13 s-2010);
• Employees that have not been deducted their premium contributions in your payroll should still be included in the report. The bracket and amount of contribution that should be reflected is zero (0), with the remarks and date of remark effectivity required. If the employee was not paid for the month but is still with the company then the remark shall be NE for No Earning, if the employee is no longer part of the company due to retirement, termination or separation then the remark shall be Separated (SP), for newly hired employees simply reflect NH for Newly Hired. For Separated remark, reflect the date when the employee was separated, date hired for Newly Hired and for the No Earning reflect the date when of no earning. (PhilHealth Circular No. 13 s-2010);
• The report may be prepared/submitted through hardcopy, softcopy or online. Use the method that is best for you. Employers with more than ten (10) employees however, are required to prepare and submit a softcopy or electronic report. Those that do not have the capability to do so should inform the nearest PhilHealth Office as compliance is being monitored pursuant to PhilHealth Circular No. 02 s-2010;
• Hardcopy reports can be submitted through walk-in, dropbox or mail. Dropbox or mailed submission are not recommended for softcopy report. Submission through email for softcopy reports are not yet allowed as copies of the payment receipts are still being attached to the report;
• There are alternatives in preparing the softcopy report. The first is by using a Microsoft Excel based template distributed by PhilHealth, the second is for the system generated file from your payroll system that is compliant to the file specifications released by PhilHealth, and the last is to manually create the file compliant to the file specifications by using either Notepad or Excel. Stay tuned as we will be providing the guide in preparing the softcopy using the Excel template and the file specification guidelines;
• There are two alternatives in which to submit the softcopy report. The first is by personally submitting it to any PhilHealth Office. The second is by submitting it through an online facility developed by an accredited bank/agent designed for the Electronic Payment Scheme (EPS). To know more about the EPS click here;
• Employers would also have the option to prepare and submit the report online through a web-based facility being provided by PhilHealth. This is the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS) which is the online version of the previously released application named the PhilHealth Premium Remittance System (PPRS). To know more about this scheme click here;

We personally recommend you to try the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS) as it is the easiest alternative and would readily facilitate the posting of reported premium contributions of the employees. However, this reporting scheme is not advisable for those that are often offsetting their payments due to over or under remittances of their employees' premium contributions.

Employers: Enroll under the Electronic Payment Scheme (ePAY)

The Electronic Payment System (EPS) also known as ePay is a mechanism introduced by PhilHealth since 2004 to allow the employers to remit their premium payments and submit a softcopy format of the Employer Remittance Report (RF-1) electronically through the accredited bank's online facility.

With this method employers must first prepare the remittance report and upload the report using the bank's online facility, after which the bank facility shall automatically deduct the total amount of premium to be paid from the bank account of the employer. PhilHealth will then download the remittance report submitted through the bank's online facility and process the report for posting of individual contributions. Through this facility, underremittance or overremittance will be minimized as the bank's system ensures that the correct total contribution amount will be deducted from the employer's bank account as payment to PhilHealth.

How to enroll under this scheme:

1. The employer should have its own PhilHealth Employer Number (PEN).

2. The employer must have an account in the ePay accredited bank.

3. The employer should conform to the layout of the RF1 softcopy. (Employers would need to contact the nearest PhilHealth Office for the guidelines on softcopy reporting.)

4. The employer needs to directly register with the ePay accredited bank.

The accredited banks implementing the ePay are:

1. Union Bank of the Philippines (OneHub)

2. Bank of the Philippine Islands (ExpressLink)

3. Citibank (CitiConnect)

4. Security Bank (Digibanker)

You have to go to the corresponding banks to enroll and you will be provided with an online user account that you would need to access their system. Additional banks may be registered under the ePay so stay tuned to this blog as we will post updates once new banks are enrolled.

Paying PhilHealth Premiums using your Mobile Phone

Do you know that individuals already registered as PhilHealth Members can pay their contributions using the load in your mobile phone?

Individually paying members no longer need to wait or stand in line in accredited banks in order to pay your contributions. And guess what, you can now pay on a monthly basis through this service and even view your contributions on the PhilHealth's website!

The service PhilHealth payment thru text also known as Remittance By Air, is open to all Smart and Talk n Text prepaid subscribers. You would need to have at least Php115.00 load to use the service. The Php100.00 will be for the PhilHealth premium and the Php15.00 transaction fee.

One phone can be used for payment of more than one registered member. Hence you may even pay for your loved ones contributions using one smart or talk n text SIM, you only need enough load to do this. Another innovation from PhilHealth in making payments more accessible to the public.

To use the service, follow these steps:

1. Type PHIC(space) PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) and send to 7442. Ex. PHIC 123456789012
2. Validate the text that you will receive and if correct type PHIC YES to 7442.
3. Once you receive a health advisory and your reference number it means that payment has been sent.

The applicable month of payment will be based on the month you have used the service. So if you used the Remittance By Air this March, then you are paying for your March contribution. You may use the service anytime within April to pay for your April contribution and so on. You may find related info by clicking here.

If you have already used this service, tell us your experience by leaving a comment below.

Prepare and Submit the PhilHealth Employer Remittance Report (RF1) Online using the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS)

A new reporting scheme has been launched on October 1, 2010 enabling the online preparation and submission of the Employer’s Remittance Report (RF1) by using the Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS). The availability of the online reporting scheme was announced under Circular No. 30, s-2010 published on October 28, 2010 in the PhilHealth website.

The EPRS is a web-based application which facilitates not only the posting of individual premium contributions but also the assignment of the PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) for unregistered members.

There are three (3) major advantages in using this scheme:

1. Facilitates the assignment of PhilHealth Identification Numbers (PIN) to unregistered NHIP members.

2. Faster posting of employee contributions as the report directly prepared by the employer will be automatically posted in the PhilHealth database upon PhilHealth validation.

3. Ensures that the total contributions of the report would tally with the actual payment made as the report will be prepared prior payment of contributions.

Requirements in using the EPRS:

1. The reporting employer should have its own PhilHealth Employer Number (PEN). The PEN will be issued to the employer once the employer registers with PhilHealth.

2. The employer should be directly remitting or paying to any PhilHealth office.

3. The period and amount of the report being prepared and that reflected in the receipt should be the same.

The employer would need to be trained in using the web-based application. You will be required to fill-out a PhilHealth Online Access Form (POAF). The user account will be electronically sent in the email address you specified in the form so be sure to provide a valid and active email address. To request for the training schedule, contact any PhilHealth office near you.

I just hope that this will be the starting point of PhilHealth in providing an easier means to access their services and that the infrastructure of PhilHealth is capable in maintaining this facility.